RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Price and Associates, Inc., (c) Research Report, prepared for Noel Stoker and used by his permission. Report dated 17 Feb 2014. File name: Stocker2014JanNE. Price and Associates also prepared a PAF file for Noel, which I have. A transcript of the report:
"OBJECTIVE
• Research baptismal, marriage, and death entries for the years past 1736, to determine if Hanss Michel Stocker (born 1730) lived to adulthood and possibly emigrated
• Search the family members of the older Stocker generation who was born before 1715
RESULTS
• Two additional children of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) and Eva Staehli were found
• Children of the first marriage of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) were found
• The Hanss Michel Stocker (Jr.) found in the last research session qualifies to be the one who emigrated since no marriage or death record was found for him in the parish records of Preuschdorf
• One additional generation on the Stocker line was established
• Prepared all new-found individuals for temple work (as far as it was not already done)
RECOMMENDATIONS
• An area search in several Lutheran parishes around Preuschdorf is needed to find the marriage of Friedrich Stocker with Anna Barbara [no maiden name known] - this finding would very likely establish the names of the next generation in the Stocker line
• Also a search needs to be performed in the Sulz Lutheran parish records for the Staehli line
HEADING
The research on the Stocker line had several tasks. First, any children of Michael Stocker and Eva Staehli born after 1736, if any, needed to be found.
Second, the death and marriage entries past 1736 needed to be checked whether the Hanss Michel Stocker who was born in 1730 qualifies as the ancestor.
Third, all the records prior to 1715 needed to be checked to deepen the ancestral tree.
The research was performed in the microfilmed Lutheran parish records of Preuschdorf, which is available at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City back to the year 1660. These early records include a name index for births, marriages, and deaths.
REPORT
As mentioned in the introduction the first task was to find any additional children born after 1736 to Michael Stocker ,(Sr.) of Goersdorf and his wife Eva Staehli. One more child was found. Following is his entry [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1736-1754; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 6].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. [about] 9 Dec. 1736, chr. 12 Dec. 1736: Hanss Georg Stocker; father: Hanss Michel Stocker, the older, of Goersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 6, entry #1.
The exact date of birth could not be recognized because it was in the fold of two pages and therefore blackened out.
The next task was to check the marriage entries whether the potential ancestor Hanss Michel Stocker (Jr., born 1730) married in this parish. If he did, he would disqualify as being the direct ancestor. Even though several Stocker marriages were found, no such entry was found for Hanss Michel / Johann Michael Stocker [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1736-1780; FHL INTL Film 770569].
The third verification was to search the death records. All the death entries up to 1788 were checked, but no Hanss Michel / Johann Michael Stocker died [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1736-1758, 1758-1783; FHL INTL Film 770569]. All the parish records past 1788 are not microfilmed and are available only at the parish in France.
While in the death records, two related entries were found. These are those of the parents of Hanss Michel / Johann Michael Stocker. Following are their entries.
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- D. 28 Apr. 1746, bur. 30 Apr. 1746: Eva Stocker, nee Staehlin of Goersdorf, origin of Sulz; age 53 years, 24 weeks; Wife of Michael Stocker. Page 116, entry #2. (Doc. 01)
- D. 16 Feb. 1756, bur. 18 Feb. 1756: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdorf, age 72 years, 1 month, 6 days; Son is Johann Georg Stocker. Page 244, entry #1. (Doc. 02)
There was a second Hanss Michael Stocker who died in 1762, being 73 years of age. In theory he would also qualify to be the ancestor, but three facts were found that disqualified him. One fact was that the ancestral Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) had a son Johann Georg (=Hanss Georg). The second fact was found later when searching for the ancestral baptismal entry. There was recorded in a different handwriting that his death entry is found on page 244, which coincides with the entry found above. The third fact was that the Hanss Michael Stocker (Sr.) who died in 1762 had a daughter with the name Maria Catharina, who was recorded in his death entry as a witness. The ancestral Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) did not have a daughter by that name.
Before moving to the older entries, another marriage needed to be mentioned. The marriage record of Hanss Michael Stocker with Eva Staehli was already found during the last research session, but it was not evaluated because at that time it was not sure that they are indeed the ancestral line. This proof was now delivered based on the records available. The marriage mentions that Hanss Michael Stocker was a widower when he married Eva Staehli. Both marriage entries of Hanss Michael Stocker were found in the Preuschdorf Lutheran records [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715 and 1715-1736; FHL INTL Films 769168 item 4 and 5].
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- M. Nov. 1712: Johann Michael Stocker of Goersdorf and Anna Fischer of Goersdorf; father of the groom: Johann Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf; father of the bride: Hannss Georg Fischer of Goersdorf. Page 220, entry #5. (Doc. 03)
- M. 4 Jan. 1721: Widower Hanss Michel Stocker of Goersdorf, married Eva Staehli of Sultz; father of the groom [not mentioned]; father of the bride: Deceased salter Johannes Staehli of Sultz. Page 9, entry #3. (Doc. 04)
While in the marriage records, an additional entry for a child of Hanss/Johann Michael Stocker was found, a child not found in the baptismal entries. His name was Hanss Leonhard Stocker. Following is his marriage entry [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1736-1780; FHL INTL Films 770569].
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
M. 19 Jan. 1745: Hanss Leonhard Stocker of Goersdorf, married Maria Barbara Jacob of Preuschdorf; parents of the groom: Hanss Michel Stocker of Goersdorf, married Eva Staehli; father of the bride: Hanss Heinrich Jacob of Preuschdorf. [Forgot to record page #.]
Other children of Hanss / Johann Michael Stocker also married. Their names are already known, but their marriage data and the names of spouses were recorded into the PAF-file of the client.
Two additional children of Hanss / Johann Michael Stocker were found who were born into this first marriage Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1660-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4] before 1715. Three additional children were already found during the last research session. These are now also connected into the ancestral tree.
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. Aug. 1713, chr. Aug. 1713: Johann Theobaldt Stocker; father: Joh. Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Fischer. Page 172, entry #6.
- B. 7 May 1715, chr. 9 May 1715 [died 1717]: Hannss Michael Stocker; father: Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna [no maiden name]. Page 179, entry #6.
- B. 18 Oct. 1717, chr. 18 Oct. 1717: Johann Georg Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdof; mother: Anna Fischer. Page 18, entry #4.
- B. 25 Dec. 1719, chr. 26 Dec. 1719: Christina Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Fischer. Page 34, entry #4.
- B. 1 Oct. 1721, chr. 3 Oct. 1721: Maria Salome Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Fischer. Page 55, entry #1.
For the last child in this table the name of the mother was recorded incorrectly. Anna, nee Fischer had already died one day after her child Christina was born because of complications during birth. Her death entry was found. Therefore the last child has to be connected to the second marriage because it was born 9 month after the second marriage of Hanss Michael Stocker was performed.
Following is the death entry of the first wife [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1715-1736; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 5].
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- D. 26 Dec. 1719, bur. Dec. 1719: Anna Stocker of Goersdorf; age 28 years, 6 months, 2 weeks, 3 days; Wife of Hanss Michael Stocker; died because of complications during birth. Page 9, entry #4.
With this completion the research moved to the older parts of the Lutheran records of Preuschdorf. All the baptismal entries prior to 1715 were checked. Since the birth could be calculated on the age stated in the death entry of Hams Michel Stocker (Sr.), the task to find this entry was an easy one. If the parish priest calculated correctly, he was born on 10 January 1684. His baptismal entry was found at this very day, but his birth date was not recorded there. Also two siblings were found [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1660-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. [not recorded], chr. 10 Jan. 1684: Hanss Michel Stocker [direct ancestor]; father: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf; mother: Anna Barbel [no maiden name]. Page 46, entry #6. Annotation in record: death on page 244. (Doc. 05)
- B. [not recorded], chr. 4 Mar. 1686: Catharina Barbara Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Barbel [no maiden name]. Page 60, entry #2.
- B. [not recorded], chr. 2 Nov. 1688: Maria Barbara Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Barbel [no maiden name]. Page 70, entry #4.
The marriage of Johann Friedrich Stocker to Anna Barbara (Barbel is the pet name for Barbara) was not found in Preuschdorf [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4]. Very likely she was from another parish. There is the chance that this couple had older children born and baptized in the parish the mother was from. As it will be proven shortly, she was born in the year 1645 +/- 1 year. It is rather unusual starting having children at the age of 39 years. Only an area search for the marriage entry between Friedrich Stocker and Anna Barbara would produce more certain information on this. There is even the chance that Anna Barbara was a widow when she married Friedrich Stocker because, as will be shown shortly, she was nine years older than him.
The death entry of Anna Barbara was found and with it the information about her birth year. Also the death entry of the father, Johann Friedrich Stocker, was found. Based on these records the age difference can be seen. Also found was an additional child of this couple, a stillborn son. Because he was stillborn, he was not recorded in the baptismal entries. Following the three entries [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1659-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- D. 18 Apr. 1695, bur. 20 Apr. 1695: Anna Barbara Stocker of Goersdorf, age 50 years; Wife of Friedrich Stocker. Page 261, entry #2. (Doc. 06)
- D. 24 Nov. 1708, bur. 26 Nov. 1708: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf, age 54 years; relationships [not mentioned]. Page 290, entry #1. (Doc. 07)
- D. [not mentioned], bur. 25 Nov. 1687: Stillborn son; Son of Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf. Page 247, entry #6.
After the first wife of Friedrich Stocker died in 1695, he remarried one year later. Following entry was found [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- M. 6 Mar. 1696: The widower Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf, married Ursula Maria, widow of Jacob Dirzon [his family name is hard to read], who was a shepherd in Preuschdorf; parents of the groom: [not stated]; parents of the bride: [not stated]. Page 201, entry #1.
Hanss/Johann Friedrich Stocker and his second wife Maria Ursula had two more children [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1660-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. 19 Jul. 1699, chr. 21 Jul. 1699: Hanss Jacob Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf; mother: Maria Ursula [no maiden name]. Page 109, entry #4.
- B. 30 Jan 1703, chr. 2 Feb. 1703: Margaretha Christina Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf; mother: Maria Ursula [no maiden name]. Page 125, entry #5.
The death entry of the second wife of Johann Friedrich Stocker, Maria Ursula [no maiden name known], was not found in the Preuschdorf records.
The question about the names of the next generation is impossible to answer at this time. Since the first marriage record of Johann Friedrich Stocker was not found in Preuschdorf, and there are no baptismal entries available before 1660 (Johann Friedrich Stocker was born in 1654), no final proof is possible yet. The available information suggests either Jacob Stocker or Zacharias Stocker to be the father of Friedrich. Both had children that married in the 1690s. Both were from Goersdorf. For both were found death records. Based on these they were born just two years apart. There is even the chance that they are siblings.
Only an area search for the first marriage entry of Friedrich Stocker to Anna Barbara [maiden name not known] could possibly clarify this next generation. This area search was not performed during this research project. The following Lutheran parishes border the Preuschdorf parish: Diefenbach (no LDS microfilms before 1793), Worth an der Sauer (microfilms from 1572 to 1792), Langensulzbach (microfilms from 1689 to 1787), Lembach (microfilms 1603 from to 1792), Wingen (microfilms from 1648 to 1792), Rott (no LDS microfilms before 1701), Birlenbach (microfilms from 1614 to 1822), Sulz unterm Wald (microfilms from 1595 to 1793), and Niederkutzenhausen (no LDS microfilms before 1714). As can be seen from this list, only a few parishes do not have the older records. The reason might be that the parishes were established later.
Also seen in this list is the parish Sulz, which was mentioned as the town of origin of the ancestral Staehli family line. The research in the parishes listed as well as the research for the Staehli family could be the research topic in the next research project.
The individuals who could be connected to the ancestral tree were entered into the PAF-file. Among those were also several individuals not mentioned in this report (such as nieces, nephews, cousins, and a few in-laws). All those where no relationship to the direct ancestry could be proven at this time were grouped together into separate family units. These individuals were entered into a separate PAF-file. Both PAF-files were prepared for temple work (as far this work was not done yet).
CONCLUSION
During this research session one more child was found of Michael Stocker (Sr.) and Eva Staehli of Goersdorf. Also, the first marriage of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.), as well as the children of this first marriage was found.
It was shown that the potential ancestor Hanss Michel Stocker (Jr.) found in the last research session qualifies to be the one who emigrated since no marriage or death record was found for him in the parish records of Preuschdorf.
For the father of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) the baptismal entry as well as those for his siblings and half-siblings was found. Several death records were found for the direct ancestry as well as one marriage record. The marriage entry for Johann Friedrich Stocker with Anna Barbara [no maiden name known - parents of Hanss Michel Stocker, Sr.] was not found in Preuschdorf. An area search needs to be performed to find it.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended to perform an area search in several Lutheran parishes around Preuschdorf for the marriage of Friedrich Stocker with Anna Barbara [no maiden name known]. This document will hopefully clarify which of the two candidates is the father of Friedrich Stocker. Most of these parishes are available on LDS-microfilm at the FHL in Salt Lake City.
Also a search needs to be performed in the Sulz Lutheran parish records for the Staehli line. The Sulz parish records are available on LDS-microfilm.
It was a pleasure to research the ancestral lines of the client and we look forward to continuing according to the directions of the client."